Editing Narcotics Anonymous (section)

===The nature of addiction===
According to the philosophy of the NA program, most addicts did not realize they had a problem with drugs until they had no other choice besides ending up dead or in jail. Even if other people pointed out they may have a drug problem they were convinced otherwise. But once an addict on his or her own tries to stop and realizes they cannot, they finally see that drugs have been controlling them. Addicts "lived to use and used to live". NA helps show them a different way of life and helps them fight their disease.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Sixth Edition Basic Text, Narcotics Anonymous|publisher=Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc.|year=2008|isbn=9781557767349|location=Chatswroth, California|pages=16, 18}}</ref> NA describes [[wikt:addiction|addiction]] as a [[progressive disease]] with no known cure, which affects every area of an addict's life: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. NA suggests that the disease of addiction can be arrested, and recovery is possible through the NA twelve-step program. The steps never mention [[drug]]s or drug use, rather they refer only to addiction, to indicate that addicts have a disease of which drug use is one symptom. In the NA program, all drugs are considered equal, and alcohol is also a drug. Other symptoms include [[fixation (psychology)|obsession]], [[compulsive behavior|compulsion]], [[denial]], and self-centeredness.<ref>{{cite book|last=Narcotics Anonymous|title=Narcotics Anonymous 6th edition|url=http://www.michigan-na.org/detroit_central/d_c_documents/BASIC%20TEXT%206TH%20ed..pdf|access-date=June 3, 2014|year=2008|publisher=Narcotics Anonymous World Services|location=Chatsworth, California|isbn=978-1-557-76734-9|page=20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311060545/http://www.michigan-na.org/detroit_central/d_c_documents/BASIC%20TEXT%206TH%20ed..pdf|archive-date=March 11, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref>